A digital camera can convert light, which passes through a lens and after being reflected from a subject, into digital image data representing a still picture image or a motion picture image of the subject and record the converted digital data in an information recording medium such as a semiconductor memory, an optical disk and a floppy disk, and the like. Furthermore, the digital camera can reproduce the still picture image or the motion picture image represented by digital image data recorded in the information recording medium.
FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional digital camera 90. The digital camera 90 includes an image pickup unit 11. The image pickup unit 11 picks up an image of a subject based on light reflected by the subject so as to generate an image pickup signal and outputs the image pickup signal to an image data generator 12.
The image data generator 12 generates image data based on the image pickup signal output from the image pickup unit 11 and outputs the image data to a monitor 13. The monitor 13 displays images represented by the image data output from the image data generator 12. Thus, the monitor 13 functions as a viewfinder for displaying the images represented by the image data generated based on the light reflected by the subject.
The image data generator 12 also generates image data based on the image pickup signal obtained by the image pickup unit 11 by pressing a shutter (not shown) and outputs the image data to a controller 95. The controller 95 records the image data output from the image data generator 12 in an information recording medium 9. The image data recorded in the information recording medium 9 is copied and stored in a fixed disk provided in a personal computer (not shown) so that jobs such as browsing, editing, processing, printing, and the like, are carried out.
When the image data recorded in the information recording medium 9 are copied in the fixed disk provided in the personal computer (not shown), in general, the information recording medium 9 in which the image data are recorded is detached from a main body of the digital camera 90 and the image data recorded in the information recording medium 9 are copied in the fixed disk via a memory card reader or a disk drive connected to the personal computer, or the image data recorded in the information recording medium 9 are copied in the fixed disk by directly operating from the personal computer via the controller 95 provided in the digital camera 90 in a state in which the main body of the digital camera 90 and the personal computer are connected to each other by a cable (not shown).
The image data representing a still picture or a motion picture taken by a digital camera are recorded by a personal computer in a general file format that is suitable for carrying out jobs such as browsing, editing, processing and printing, etc. For example, a still picture is recorded in the information recording medium in accordance with a JPEG format and a motion picture is recorded in the information recording medium in accordance with a QuickTime format.
However, since these image data are not protected from the viewpoint of copyright protection, they can be distributed freely regardless of the intention of a person who took the image data. Since the performances of the digital cameras are improved, the value as a work of the image data taken by a digital camera is increasing. Therefore, also a work of an image data taken by a digital camera must be protected as a copyrighted work similarly to a video work recorded in, for example, a DVD.
With the foregoing in mind, the object of the present invention is to provide an information recording apparatus capable of protecting justifiable copyright with respect to electronic data recorded in the information recording medium.